Expanding wedge



Oct. 21. 1941. w. HEJDUKY ETAL EXPANDING WEDGE Filed May 29, 1940 Patented Oct. 21, 1941 NITED STATES oerce William Hejduk, Bronx, and- Frank Ruom I Yonkers, N. Y.

ApplicationMay 29, 1940-, Serial No. 337,928 sol-aims. 401.254.4104) This invention relates to an expanding wedge particularly adapted to the breaking of contact shoes of subway or electric railway cars, and it consists in the construction, arrangement and combinations herein described and claimed.

It is an objectof the invention to provide an expanding wedge of compact and sturdy construction' which may" be quickly applied to a contact shoe for the purpose of breakingthe a 7.

It is alsoan objectof the invention to provideawedge inwhich a rigid jaw and a laterally movable jaw are interconnected in a removable manner, permitting replacement of either when and if found necessary.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide an expanding tool in which a sliding wedge is interposed between a rigid jaw and a laterally movable jaw, the wedges being so shaped as to exert an angularly directed pressure against the laterally movable jaw, thereby causing a quick breaking of the contact shoe.

Additional objects, advantages and features of invention will be apparent from the following description considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure l is a side elevation of the wedge installed upon a contact shoe, the latter being fragmentarily illustrated and in section.

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the wedge.

Figure 3 is a cross section on the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

There is illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, an expanding wedge, generally indicated by the reference character I and comprises a main jaw II, of flat, elongated form. The upper portion of the jaw has integrally formed therewith a head I2 extended at right angles to the jaw, the latter having substantial thickness and provided with a threaded bore I3. The bore I3 extends in a plane parallel to the jaw and receives a threaded drive bolt I l therethrough. The bolt I I has its upper end shaped for reception of a ratchet wrench I5, generally indicated in Figure 1. The lower end of the bolt I4 has a reduced end I6 in which there is formed a circumscribing groove H. The end I6 is revolubly seated within a bore I8 of a wedge member I9 the wedge being secured thereto by means of a drift pin 20 engaged in the groove H, as clearly shown in Figure 3. By this construction it will be apparent that the drive bolt I4 may be readily rotated to impart outward or inward movement of the wedge I9.

A jaw 2i is provided arranged in parallel relation to thejaw I'I,'detachably connected to'the head I2 and to this end, the head is formed with a pair of tapped bores 22 aligned with respective openings formed in the right angular flange 23 of the jaw. Machine bolts 24 engaged in the bores 22 will rigidly secure the jaw to the head. 4 I

Contactb'real'rer'shoesas employed upon subway and electric trains areconstructed of" cast iron andi fertile purpose of quickly removing theshoe from the train or car, the shoe is provided with an opening for insertion of a means for-breaking the-shoe; A portion of a shoe is indicated at 25 and the opening at 26.

The jaw II has its inner face28inwardly tapered in the direction of thevertical axis of the tool, and the outer face 29 is upwardly and outwardly tapered, the taper beginning at the seat 21.

The jaw2l is formed from a piece of strap steel, the free end 30 of which is inclined inwardly toward the vertical axis of the tool.

The jaws II and 2| have complemental flat faces 3I spaced apart for reception of the wedge I9, as will be now described.

The wedge I9 has opposed tapering faces 32 and 33, terminating in a chisel-like edge 34 of a thickness so as to freely pass between the flat faces 3| of the jaws, but it should be noted that the taper of the face 33 is substantially parallel to the cooperating flat face 3i for a short distance and thence inclined outwardly, forming a depressed portion 35. Thus the inclined face above the portion 35 cooperates with the adjacent face 3| to exert an angular pressure upon the jaw 2| upon downward movement of the wedge, thereby quickly breaking the contact shoe.

The operation of the tool will be readily understood from the following description. The wedge I9 is drawn inwardly as in Figure 1, with the jaws II and 2| in normal position, permitting the jaws to be inserted in the opening 28 of the shoe, the seats 27 being aligned with the edges of the opening. The bolt I4 is now rotated so as to move the wedge downwardly between the flat faces 3| until the depression 35 of the wedge engages the adjacent face 3I. Continued rotation of the bolt will move the wedge still further causing outward flexing of the jaw 2I, and since the line of travel of the face 33 and depressed portion 35 is angularly changed, a quick snapping action of the metal of the shoe will occur.

While we have shown and specifically described a preferred construction, this is by way of illustration only, and we consider as our own all such modifications in structure as fairly fall within the scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. In an expanding wedge, a pair of jaws constructed for insertion and retention within an opening, a wedge member between the jaws and movable longitudinally thereof, said wedge having inwardly tapering side faces, and one of said side faces having a depressed portion therein to cause an angular movement of one of the jaws when said wedge is moved beyond the depressed portion.

2. In an expanding wedge, a rigid jaw and a resilient jaw connected thereto, said jaws being constructed for insertion and retention within an opening, a wedge member positioned between the jaws and of a length to be moved longitudinally between and beyond the extremities of the jaws, means for moving the wedge, and said wedge having upwardly tapering side faces, one of said faces having a depressed portion therein to cause an angular movement of the resilient jaw when said wedge is moved beyond the depressed portion. g g

3. In an expanding wedge, a rigid jaw having a right angular head, a resilient jaw mounted on the head, said jaws being constructed for insertion within an opening and having seats for engaging the side walls of an opening, a drive bolt threadedly engaged through the head and positioned between the jaws, a wedge member operatively connected to the bolt and positioned between the jaws, said wedge being of a length to be moved longitudinally beyond the extremities of the jaws and the wedge having upwardly tapering side faces adapted to contact the jaws adjacent their extremities on downward movement of the wedge.

4. In an expanding wedge, a rigid jaw having a right angular head, a resilient jaw mounted on the head, said jaws being constructed for insertion within an opening and having seats for engaging the side walls of an opening, a drive bolt threadedly engaged through the head and positioned between the jaws, a wedge member operatively connected to the bolt and positioned between the jaws, said wedge being of a length to be moved longitudinally beyond the extremities of the jaws and the wedge having upwardly tapering side faces adapted to contact the jaws on downward movement of the wedge, one of said faces having a depressed portion therein to cause an angular flexing movement of the resilient jawwhen said wedge is moved beyond the depressed portion.

5. In an expanding wedge, a pair of jaws constructedfor insertion and retention within an opening, a wedge member between the jaws and movable longitudinally thereof beyond the extremity of the jaws, and said wedge having inwardly tapering side faces cooperative with the jaws for expanding'the jaws when extended therebetween and beyond.

' WILLIAM HEJDUK.

FRANK RUOFF. 

